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moments silent。 'Richard；' she finally began； 'if I had had the naming of
these things； I should never have called them securities。 Insecurities comes
a great deal nearer what they are。 What right has a thing that says on its
face it is worth a thousand dollars to go bobbing up and down in the way
most of them do？ I think that securities is almost sarcastic。 And have you
noticed the price of those Petunias？'〃
〃I had； of course； noticed it； but I had not mentioned it to Ethel。 'I read
the papers now；' she explained； 'morning and evening。 Of course the
market is off a little on account of the bank statement。 But that is not
enough to account for the Petunias。'〃
〃'Ethel； you are nervous；' I said。 'And it is the papers which make you
so。 The Petunias are a first lien on the whole property； of which the
assessed valuation'〃
〃'What is the good；' she interrupted； 'of a first lien on something which
depends on politics for its existence； if the politicians change their minds？
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MOTHER
Did you not see that bill they're thinking of passing？' I was startled by
what Ethel told me； for the article in the paper had escaped my notice。 But
Mr。 Beverly explained it to me in a couple of minutes。 'Ha！' he jovially
exclaimed； on my entering his office on Monday morning； 'you want to
know about Petunias。 They opened at 85 I see。' He then ran the tape from
the ticker through his clean strong hands。 'Here they are again。 Five
thousand sold at 83。 Now； if they go to 70； I'll very likely take ten
thousand more for mother。 It's all Frank Smith's bluff； you know。 He wants
a jag of the water…works stock； more than they say they agreed he should
have。 So he's shaking this bill over them； which would allow the city to
build its own water…plant； and of course run the present company out of
business。 Not a thing in it！ All bluff。 He'll get the stock； I suppose。 What's
that？' he broke off to a clerk who came with a message。 'Wants 500
preferred does he？ Buyer 30？ Very well； he can't have it。 Say so from me。
Now；' he resumed to me； 'take a cigar by the way。 And don't buy any more
Petunias until I tell you the right moment。 Do you see where your
Amalgamated Electric has gone to？'〃
〃I had seen this。 It had scored a 20…point rise since my purchase of it；
and I felt very sorry that I had not taken Mr。 Beverly's advice and bought a
thousand shares。 It had been on a day when I had felt unaccountably
cautious； and I had taken only two hundred and fifty shares of
Amalgamated Electric。 There are days when one is cautious and days
when one is venturesome； and they seem to have nothing to do with
results。〃
〃'They're going to increase the dividend；' said Mr。 Beverly； as I
smoked his excellent cigar。 'It's good for twenty points higher by the end
of the week。 I had just got mother a few more shares。'〃
〃I left Mr。 Beverly's office the possessor of two thousand shares of
Amalgamated Electric； and also entirely reassured about my Petunias。 He
always made me feel happy。〃
〃His keen laughing brown eyes； and crisp well…brushed hair； and big
somewhat English way of chaffing （he had gone to Oxford； where he had
rowed on a winning crew） carried a sense of buoyant prosperity that went
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MOTHER
with his wiry figure and good smart London clothes。 His face was almost
as tawny as an Indian's with the outdoor life that he took care to lead。 I
was always flattered when he could spare any time to clap me on the
shoulder and crack a joke。〃
〃Amalgamated Electric had risen five more points before the board
closed that afternoon。 This was the first news that I told Ethel。〃
〃'Richard；' said she； 'I wish you would sell that stock to…morrow。'〃
〃But this I saw no reason for； and on Tuesday it had gained seven
points further。 Ethel still more strongly urged me to sell it。 I must freely
admit that。〃 And the narrator paused reflectively。
〃Thank you； Richard；〃 said Ethel from the sofa。 〃And I admit that I
could give you no reason for my request； except that it all seemed so
sudden。 Andyesthere was one other thing。 But that was even more
silly。〃
〃I believe I know what you mean；〃 replied Richard； 〃and I shall come
to it presently。 If any one was silly； it was not you。〃
〃I did not sell Amalgamated Electric on Wednesday； and on Thursday
a doubt about the increased dividend began to be circulated。 The stock；
nevertheless； after a forenoon of weakness； rallied。 Moreover a check for
my first dividend came from the Pollyopolis Heat； Light； Power； Paving；
Pressing； and Packing Company。〃
〃'What a number of things it does！' exclaimed Ethel； when I showed
her the company's check。〃
〃'Yes；' I replied； and quoted Browning to her： ''Twenty…nine Distinct
damnations。 One sure if the other fails。' Beverly's mother has a lot of it。'〃
〃But Ethel did not smile。 'Richard；' she said； 'I do wish you had more
investments with ordinary simple names； like New York and New Haven；
or Chicago and Northwestern。' And when I told her that I thought this was
really unreasonable； she was firm。 'Yes；' she replied； 'I don't like the
namesnot most of them； at least。 Dutchess and Columbia Traction sounds
pretty well； and besides that； of course one knows how successful these
electric railways are。 But take the Standard Egg Trust； and the Patent
Pasteurised Infant Rubber Feeder Company。'〃
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MOTHER
〃'Why； Ethel！' I exclaimed； 'those are both based upon great inventions；
Mr。 Beverly'〃
〃But she interrupted me earnestly 'I know about those inventions；
Richard； for I have procured the prospectuses。 And I wish that I could
have told you my own feeling about them before you bought any of the
stock。'〃
〃'I do not think you can fully have taken it in； Ethel。'〃
〃'I trust that it may not have fully taken you in；' she replied。 'Have you
noticed what those stocks are selling for at p